Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) and Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) have formalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide free skills training to 150 individuals in Attock, Chakwal, and DG Khan districts.

The collaborative initiative aims to enhance employability and create income-generating opportunities for the youth, with a special emphasis on gender inclusivity. Out of the 150 trainees, 50% will be women, reflecting a commitment to provide income generation opportunities for trainees and uplifting them. 

The training program will cover a diverse range of trades, including graphic design, beautician, domestic tailoring, electrician, hand embroidery, and welding. These trades have been selected strategically, taking into consideration the cultural norms and economic landscape of the target districts, aiming to equip the youth with skills that align with the local demand.

At the MoU signing ceremony, Ali Akbar Bosan, COO PSDF said “We believe in the transformative power of skills training to shape the future of our youth. Through this collaboration with OGDCL, we are not just imparting skills; we are fostering a culture of empowerment. At PSDF, we are committed to being catalysts of change, creating pathways for the youth to unlock their full potential and contribute meaningfully to the development of Attock, Chakwal, and DG Khan districts.”

The project “Evidence Generation and Design of ‘Non-Formal Education to Job Placement’ programme for Out-of-School Adolescents (OOSA) of Punjab,” marked a significant milestone with its successful completion. The project was a collaborative effort between Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) and UNICEF, with technical support from Oxford Policy Management (OPM) and Akhuwat.

The partnership harnessed collective expertise to conceptualize an innovative, evidence-based programme to integrate accelerated learning, skills training and labour market linkages. This created a model to offer a cost-effective, hybrid solution whereby accelerated learning is integrated with skills development and linked with sustainable income generating and self-employment opportunities for out-of-school adolescents.

Over 9,500 out-of-school adolescents aged between 9 and 19 from six districts in Punjab, Lahore, Faisalabad, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur, shared insights for the accelerated learning programme design as part of a comprehensive household survey. The survey also identified households with out-of-school adolescent boys and girls who would be willing to register for an accelerated learning and skills development programme.

In the pursuit of evidence generation, in partnership with other partners, PSDF actively contributed to the strategic development of a labour market linkage plan. PSDF engaged over 200 delivery partners and labour market stakeholders, fostering collaboration with Non-Formal Education partners, skills development partners and potential employers. This blueprint was designed to establish connections between the out-of-school adolescents and a diverse range of employment and self-employment opportunities.

The collaboration between UNICEF, PSDF, Akhuwat and OPM demonstrates the power of strategic partnerships in effectively addressing intricate social challenges.

“Programmes like this underscore our commitment to skills education and economic empowerment and also lay the groundwork for future endeavours aimed at transforming lives through such initiatives at every level,” shared PSDF’s Chief Operating Offer, Akbar Bosan upon the pilot programme’s completion.

“Connecting accelerated learning with skills development and opportunities for job placement in one programme is quite unique in Pakistan and could help disadvantaged adolescent girls and boys bridge the gap from learning to earning”,” said Ellen van Kalmthout, Chief of Education, UNICEF Pakistan.

PSDF, Pakistan’s largest skills fund, and PARCO, the largest fully integrated energy company in Pakistan’s corporate sector have signed an MOU under which they will collaborate to provide high-end technical trainings to the local communities residing near PARCO’s Mid Country Refinery in Muzzafargarh under PARCO’s CSR program.

PSDF will provide specific skills training to unskilled youth – including customized programs for women and non muslim youth – to help them get prepared for income generation, self-employment & entrepreneurship through both onsite skills delivery mechanisms as well as through Hybrid and Digital delivery models. The skills trainings trades range from Agriculture and Livestock to Information Technology and are designed on the latest approved curricula.

PARCO has been a front-runner of Corporate Social Responsibility in local communities, supporting self-reliance capabilities amongst the Pakistani youth. PARCO and its subsidiaries have been helping many well-known institutions working in the area of vocational trainings during the past several years.

At the signing ceremony, the COO PSDF said “We are delighted to be partnering with PARCO, one of the Nation’s biggest suppliers of energy requirements as it is a testament to their trust in PSDF to help uplift the lives and financial independence of communities”.  Nadeem Chishti, GM PARCO said “the skilling partnership is all about helping communities near our facilities in DG Khan develop economically. We are steadfast in our commitment to our CSR agendas”

PSDF COO (Chief Operating Officer) Ali Akbar Bosan said “PSDF as a skills expert is in tune with the training and knowledge that is required for the industry so it can shape competent workers and they in turn can deliver quality service and performance to take Punjab’s tourism economy to the next level. This is a necessary endeavor, and we are excited to partner with PTEGP to make it a reality”.

A thriving tourism sector is essential for boosting Pakistan’s economy and a well-trained workforce plays a critical role in attracting and creating an eco-system that meets international standard customer experience for tourists. PSDF and Punjab Tourism for Economic Growth (PTEGP), an initiative under the Government of Punjab (Planning & Development Board) in collaboration with the World Bank Group, signed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) to train 10,000 individuals in the hospitality sector. Through this partnership, the skillsets of workers in Punjab’s tourism industry will be developed and upgraded.

Both PSDF and PTEGP will work together to promote this partnership amongst key stakeholders in the tourism industry.

The MOU was signed by PSDF COO Ali Akbar Bosan and PTEGP Project Director Muhammad Waqas Malik.  Secretary Tourism Ehsan Bhutta at PSDF headquarters. PSDF will take the lead in identifying the professional areas for training in the tourism industry and mobilize its extensive network of training service providers (TSPs) to implement skills trainings. The partnership aims to activate three main elements needed to successfully expand Punjab’s tourist economy. Which includes increasing private sector participation, improving infrastructure services, and enhancing the skillsets of tourism sector workers.

PTEGP will finance the training and support in raising awareness of the project’s goals amongst relevant parties needed to safeguard its success.